Paladin
by Gaudete
Summary: The Bishops, Astrid and Olivia come to terms with Peter's real past as the war draws near and more than one universe comes through. BACK TO WORKING ON THIS SOON...
1. Chapter 1

Title: Paladin

Synopsis: The Bishops, Astrid and Olivia come to terms with Peter's real past as the war draws near.

Rating: T - Language.

It was 3:13 in the morning when she received an FBI phone call. There had been a major argument between the Bishops ending with Peter leaving, and Walter incoherent and confrontational. Agent Farnsworth was on her way to sit with Walter, an APB was put out on Peter's car. Olivia was on her way to the lab, hoping that Walter's love and concern for his son would make him cooperative in finding out what made Peter, the epitome of calmness, lose his temper and leave. Once again she locked her emotions away; it was her way of survival in a world that was increasing falling into chaos. Someday the guilt of not believing in John, having to kill her ray of reason and friend Charlie, dragging Peter, Walter and Astrid into a war that they did not want to wage but no one could stop. Someday this would catch up with her and it would be a bitch, until then though she could lock the guilt away; fear was something different. Her fears were realized when she came into the lab and saw Walter, completely shut down as he sat in the center of the lab with machines broken and instruments scattered around him.

"I had to sedate him, but it was hard. He's quiet immune to drugs," Astrid said as Olivia walked in.

"Do you know what happened," Olivia asked her assistant as she knelt before Walter's blank form?

"No, nothing yet. Campus security reported a disturbance around 2 am, when they got here this was what they found." She pointed to the devastation in the lab.

"And Peter?"

"Security cameras caught him leaving, that's it. Nothing on his car. Walter was mumbling about how he only did it out of love, he didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Olivia thought on Astrid's last words from Walter, 'he didn't mean to hurt anyone.' She wondered how often he had to say those words and if he really didn't mean to hurt anyone? So far him and his partners experiments had hurt hundreds of people. And what would he have done to his son? Since they had been reunited Peter had assumed his role of son begrudgingly at first, then had grown into showing genuine love and concern for his father. Walter was responding to Peter as well, now this? Her phone rang.

"Agent Dunham."

"FBI found Peter Bishop's car wrecked 12 miles south of Boston. No sign of the younger Bishop. Blood at the scene suggests injury but that was all they had for now."

Olivia thanked Broyles and then hung up. She had to get something out of Walter, Peter's life could be in jeopardy.


	2. Chapter 2

It had started as an innocent, playful argument with Walter over custard while they worked on the latest case involving the Pattern. He was beginning to like the camaraderie with his father. In an odd way the chaos they found themselves in was providing a stability between father and son that Peter had never experienced before. Even though his father was far from stable right now, Walter still insisted that Peter loved custard as a child. Peter knew different but there was no convincing his father how much he despised the dessert. It was lighthearted, bringing some laughter to the gruesome remains lying on the autopsy table; though Peter wondered how he could still eat with his father's latest experiments around the lab. Then it took a dark turn, his father lapsed into the time eight year old Peter was sick, supposedly with an incurable disease. Words rushed out of his father's mouth quicker than Walter's brain could control them. It was rambling sentences but in those sentences Peter heard his past being related to him; everything came flooding out of Walter.

He didn't even try to calm his father; he was numb at what Walter was saying. He was trying to remain calm. Things made so much more sense now. It was as if Walter purging his memories activated his. His life had been a lie, constructed by a selfish madman who had kidnapped him, scrambled his memories and experimented on him and Peter remembered everything with stunning clarity! Walter had wanted Peter alive and healthy and had taken what he wanted without weighing the consequences of his actions. His mother in both worlds was right, he would be a better man than his father, even a conman was a better man than Walter! Peter couldn't shake the feeling that Walter was responsible for the Pattern; he opened a door to take Peter, and now the world was paying for his sins. The world was in chaos because of him. No, not because of him but of this madman who had claimed to be his father! Peter could not blame himself for this mess. If he did he might feel compelled to stay and fight. Walter was truly the monster he thought he was in his childhood, but honestly he couldn't remember which Walter he was remembering anymore and it did not matter he was out of this madness now.

Accountability was a bitch and Walter could not stop himself. The burden had been too much to bear and now with it all out he stood silent and still, his mind finally quiet. In Peter's mind this confession absolved him of anything he thought he felt for his father. His duty to Walter, to Olivia, to the world was over. He wasn't even part of this world to begin with, why should he continue to fight for it? He simply turned and walked out. Walter did not deserve to see how much he had hurt him. Walter deserved nothing from him anymore!

With his conscious clear Walter stood silently in the middle of the lab, he couldn't move. He broke down into tears and crumpled into the chair, just crying and rocking. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard applause. He had come clean, tried to redeem his soul but should it hurt this much? He could not stop his words, no matter how much they were hurting his son. Walter had wanted too, had wanted to desperately keep Peter's past hidden but it made sense that he should know. The war was coming and Peter had to assume his role. Peter however didn't take it well at all. Well when he comes back he thought then it slowly dawned on him his son was not going to come back. He could see that much in Peter's expressions. He had always been a guarded child, with the traumatic events of his childhood who could blame him? But he could read Peter well, this Peter, his grown son Peter. The son he had lost, found, and grew to love again until the unfortunate accident sent him to that horrible place. The son that had helped spring him from hell, who understood him, who wanted to be around him, who had his traits, who was smart and creative. His son, his grown, lost son. Peter was his son, this Peter was his son…then he started getting confused. Confusion turned into anger and he began to smash things up in the lab.

**12 miles south of Boston**

He was just driving, in the pouring winter rain, trying to think clearly about his new situation. Trusting his first instinct had helped him tremendously in his adult life. He listened to his instinct and it had kept him relatively safe, up until now. He didn't know who he should hate more; the bastard that kidnapped him from his original family when he was 8 years old, the FBI agent that threatened and coerced him into taking on babysitting duties for who he thought was his estranged father, or himself for not listening to his instinct that had always told him something about him was different than the rest of his friends and family and to run away. Self preservation was the most important thing now. He could push the memories of the last year behind him, go back to the way of life he knew, scrapping by as a conman. At least his instinct would keep him from getting his heart ripped out, though he knew physical hurt would be part of this new life. He would start a new life, forget the Fringe Division, reinvent himself again. That was a depressing thought for him, he was finally getting comfortable in his current life but why should he have held onto hope that it would all work out? Nothing ever worked out the way he hoped in his life. Love, affection, compassion, human civility would always be elusive for him, he had to accept that. He was something completely different, this world he was forced to live in was not his own and he would never thrive in it. Hell, he thought, he was too far removed from his original world too, he was a wanderer now. Alone as he should be, struggling with his intellect and emotions, vowing to never let his life get that complicated again.

Peter was beyond devastated, how he even functioned at this moment he couldn't comprehend. He had put away his childhood hatred and fear of his "father" and tried to be a responsible son, a good son to an extremely flawed man. He tried to be the better man, tried to do what was right, tried to protect those he loved, only to be betrayed by the one man he had always wanted love and affection from. And Olivia, he had actually grown attached to an independent, amazing woman who he found himself caring for, though he wasn't certain in what capacity, brother or lover. It was the closest to family he had gotten in years and now it was gone. Hatred turned to anger and he pushed the heap of a car as fast as it could go on the rain slick road. His emotions were switching from hate to anger quickly, his ability to remain calm was gone, thrown out with the trust he had in his father. This was a new Peter and he felt dangerous. The battle continued to rage inside him as the rain poured down making it difficult to see. He saw the man in middle of his lane at the last possible second to react. His hope of a controlled crash ended quickly as the car became its own beast, smashing into a tree. His head and torso hit the steering wheel; there was a cracking of bone, and searing pain. Blue lights surrounding the car was the last thing he remembered before the pain became too much and his system shut down in unconsciousness.

Peter could not tell how long he was unconscious. Waking up slowly he heard machines humming and beeping, distance voices. The lighting was dim and he was cold. Most discerning for him however was there was no pain anywhere in his body and he didn't feel sedated. He couldn't see much in the room, but he knew there was at least one other person near him.

"Peter?" It was his father's voice. Not something he wanted to hear after crashing his car. "Peter can you hear me?"

He was not going to answer the man who had royally fucked up his life.

"Is it really him?" The voice was of a woman and she was in tears.

This voice panicked him, this voice should not be here, should not be right. Where the hell was he? He tried to remember the events of the last 24 hours and was successful, but this made no sense. The voice was his mother's! He struggled to get up and see what was going on, and there was the pain!

"He's home now," his father's voice was mixed with relief and regret.

"Can he stay?" Again his mother's voice panicked him. His vitals began to spike. He felt the needle containing the sedative in his arm and he was slipping into unconsciousness once again. He tried to fight it to get answers but it was useless.


	3. Chapter 3

"Dr. Bishop has completely shut down," Agent Farnsworth told Olivia over the phone. "He won't say anything, just stares at Peter's childhood photographs. Olivia, he needs professional help and I don't want to take him back to St. Claire's but he is not doing well." Olivia's silence let Astrid know she really didn't give a damn about Walter at this point.

" Anything on Peter yet?" Astrid knew that if she had news she would have mentioned it first, but changing the subject from Walter was a good idea.

"No. Massive Dynamic has offered to help in the search. The car gave us no leads except that his cell phone was turned off." She was angry, sad, scared, an emotional wreck! She gained control of her emotions; which was more of a survival instinct than a reflection of what she was feeling. Losing control of her emotions would only make it more difficult finding Peter. She started to cry on the phone.

Controlling the sobs she told Astrid, "I'm on my way back to the Lab. Don't let Walter take any drugs. I want answers." It was easier to let her anger win out over the despair she felt right now.

Astrid shook her head and hung up the phone. Looking at the husk of the man that was Walter Bishop she felt compassion. How could anyone not feel compassion for the man? He looked lost, scared, more like a child then a grown man. Even though her instinct was to comfort him she too was angry at him. Peter and her had grown close, she consider them all one big dysfunctional family with Dr. Bishop the senile dad. Now the family was missing a very important piece, the piece that kept them all glued together, kept them bound in the sane. She felt panicked without Peter near. Her asthma kicked in. Her breathing distress seemed to have gotten a response out of Walter. He was on his feet asking her where the inhaler was.

Things had gone from bad to worse within the Fringe Division. Olivia wished she knew what Walter had done to get Peter so upset. Did he hurt Peter? She didn't think he would do that, not intentionally anyway. Something made him run. Something Walter did made his son leave, but what? She knew of one incident that had made Peter want out. But things were going so well, father and son were closer now than anytime before. Peter was being the better man, taking care of Walter, taking care of her. God she knew why Peter had ran. He couldn't deal with taking care of two broken people in his life! It took a lot of control to realize that she was blaming herself for something that wasn't her fault. Peter was upset at Walter, but if she had only been there to diffuse the situation. She had sensed something had been bothering Peter, but she put her work first and now he was gone.

Someone had taken Peter like they took her. The fear she felt from that thought made her shake. She was not focusing on the road when suddenly there was someone in the middle of it! Olivia swerved and kept control of her vehicle. Stopping it she looked back in the rearview and saw the person crumple to the road. Making sure it was safe to do so she got out of the SUV. However the person in the road was no longer there. Once again she began to question her sanity as blue lights seem to come out of nowhere. A second later they were gone. Shaken she got back into the SUV. Walter was going to give her answers! She found herself wondering if he had created some sort of device that would bring him back. A Peter homing device…the thought made her smile. Walter would give her answers, he always did. She was hoping beyond hope he would still be able to, she didn't want to hate him.

He was waking up again, and again no pain. This time he felt a hand holding his, it was small and soft.

"Olivia?"

The hand squeezed his tighter. Was he not able to speak, was he only speaking in his mind? "Olivia!" Peter's eyes snapped open to reveal a blonde woman, not Olivia beside him.

"He sweetheart, welcome back."

"Mom?"

"Yes baby," her hand brushed his brow. "I'm here."

His mind was still fuzzy, trying to put things in perspective. Something was blocking his thought process. Don't be alarmed a little voice somewhere deep inside his mind told him.

" Where am I?"

" Home, safe."

"Where's Walter?"

"Your father is at the lab."

Nothing in the conversation caused him to panic. His father was often at the lab.

"You wrecked the car. A very bad crash, you were in a coma for a few months but things turned around a week ago. You got better. Woke up a few days ago." She smoothed his hair.

Something in his mind knew her words were wrong but he couldn't make his mind react or his limbs move in response. He didn't know why this was wrong, he didn't want it to be wrong but he knew somewhere in the recesses of his mind that there were people who cared for him looking for him.

Peter's mind was too advanced to be confused for long and things rushed into place. The puzzle came together with stunning clarity. He remembered Walter telling him he was from another universe, ripped from his real parents. He remembered leaving the Lab, being angry, the man in the road, the blue lights. He also knew he was back in the world he was born into with his mother beside him.

This was not right, but he didn't know how to get back to the other universe. Did he even want to go back? He belonged here, but he had not been here for 24 years. He didn't belong anymore and no matter what Walter had told him, that world, the world Walter raised him in was his life now. It was the only life he could remember, because Walter had ripped his old memories out of his brain when he had abducted him. It was only a feeling that Peter knew he didn't like certain things that Walter insisted he did, no memory attached to it. Of course he never remembered being sick because he never was. His life had been a lie but looking back on it while strapped down to a hospital bed in a very precarious situation his old life wasn't bad. There had been good. He had done good for the world, for Olivia.

Flashes came before his open eyes, similar to the flashes they had extracted from the retina of the dead girl in their attempt to catch a serial killer. A flash of Walter and him fishing, another of Walter fixing pancakes in the shape of a whale. Still more came, not all of them good, they were bloody images of things he had witnessed before he reconnected with Walter, and gruesome images of the Pattern. More flashes of Olivia, Astrid, and playing with Ella. That was the world where he belonged. His anger at Walter was deserved but he could not let it get in the way of the bigger picture. There was something he had to do. People he needed to protect. It would take a while to get a relationship back with Walter, but he knew it would come. Now he had to figure out how to get back there.

"Peter?" His mother's voice was soothing, it always was. "Peter, what's wrong?"

He could lie well though it sucked having to lie to her. He reminded himself that she was not the woman he remembered, he actually didn't remember her. It would make lying easier.

"Tired." He closed his eyes, he was safe enough for now. When his biological father came to see him he didn't know what would happen. For now he was safe and hopefully it would be enough time to figure out how to get back to the only world he knew.

*************************************************************************************

"Olivia," Astrid said with concern. Her friend looked different, looked dangerous. She was facing off with Dr. Bishop and the old man didn't stand a chance.

"You don't know where Peter is then?" Olivia's softer side emerged the victor. Astrid breathed a sigh of relief.

"No Agent Dunham. I wished I did. I didn't want to tell him but I couldn't stop myself."

Olivia had calmed down; she felt pity for the man before her. She didn't understand Walter Bishop the way Peter did but she understood the emotions he experienced at losing his son. Hell if something had happened to Ella she would have done the same thing if she had been able. Grief made you do crazy things, unspeakable things that one normally wouldn't do. Olivia Dunham understood grief and guilt – to well but there was nothing she could do about that. She knew about Peter's past now and it made her even more protective of him. Yes she cared for Peter, maybe too much for her own sanity, but there was nothing she could do now to bring him back. She didn't even know where he was.

She felt dizzy, it seemed as if the air grew electrified. A humming sound began, she saw the others looking around for the cause of it but they soon faded from her sight. She was alone, no Peter was there, somewhere…she couldn't find him. She could see the molecules in the air, they were beginning to bend and twist, opening up before her. A minute later everything was back to normal. Astrid and Walter were where they were when they disappeared from her vision. Nothing had changed in the Lab and she felt fine now.

A crash coming from Olivia's office brought everyone running. Throwing the door open everyone looked on in shock as they saw Peter perfectly still on the floor.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

He really needed caffeine right now, really, really could use some coffee. Waking up should be easy. Peter's body did not want to wake up; however his mind was alert and functioning, though slower than he liked. As he lay awake with his eyes closed he recalled everything that had happened in the…what was it hours? Days? He hoped it had not been weeks since he had found out the truth about where he came from. Perhaps it was all a nightmare. Logically he knew that was not the case, it had been real. Horribly real and grueling, emotional draining, scary, the worst event to happen in his life so far and he hoped there would be no more events like that - ever.

He recapped what had happened trying to make sense of it all. Walter had told him that he came from the other universe, that he had been kidnapped from his real family by a grieving Walter. Peter remembered the anger associated with this truth. He also remembered leaving Walter, fully intent on never returning to Boston, to this freak show he had gotten involved in. The pain from the car crash and the disorientation of being back in his own universe flashed in his mind. He remembered more pain as he was shot up with drugs, and probably experimented on by his biological father. The absolute agony of being forcefully returned back into this universe. How he had gotten back? More pressing now was how he would continue living in a world he knew he did not belong in. There was absolutely no association between those that he had worked with, known in his past, or had come to love. Facing this realization he knew he probably didn't want to be awake right now. Waking up was going to hurt and hurt a lot. Plus he had no idea right now of how to go about living with Walter. He really did want to leave but he had a lot of questions now. Peter simply rolled over, noting the pain in his body was subsiding, and went back to sleep.

Walter quietly sat by Peter's bedside wanting his son to wake up and uncertain of what Peter would be like now. He had to take responsibility for his actions all those years ago; he had to take accountability for wrecking people's lives. Walter could rationalize his actions, he was a scientist, he should have been able to heal his dying son and when he could not he developed another way – an unethical way but he had gotten Peter back. When he first brought Peter over he was certain Peter wouldn't find out his true identity. Why would he? He had taken precautions hadn't he? He was able to wipe some of Peter's memories of his real life, but apparently as his son grew those memories came back in flashes.

Through casual conversation with him Walter began to see what Peter did and didn't remember. Up until the time he told Peter the truth Walter could always change the focus to himself, blaming his mental condition when Peter remembered he didn't like something his biological son liked or when his biological son's toys his Peter didn't remember. Now he was going to embark on his greatest challenge, mending his relationship with his son, Peter was still his son no matter what the young man thought! He had been separated from him for too long, he wasn't going to let this come between them.

Astrid walked in to find Walter crying silently and Peter still asleep. She had just come from Olivia's house. Neither she or Olivia could figure out how Olivia had managed to bring Peter back from the other universe. However she had done it Olivia was absolutely wiped out by it, collapsing shortly after seeing that Peter was breathing. She had helped her friend by taking her home and staying with her as the emotions of the last few days finally came out. Olivia wasn't as stoic as most thought, she had lost too much and almost had lost Peter. What a mixed up family they were becoming!

Walter was no use right now, he relied on Peter. And Peter! Poor Peter, he was battered and broken in so many ways now Astrid felt overwhelmed just thinking about him. The family she had come to know and care for depended on Peter, he was the glue that held them together and now…she felt panic seize her! Calming herself a little she placed a hand gently on Walter's shoulder.

"Hey, any change," she asked softly not wanting to alarm the scientist?

"Agent Farnsworth, when did you get here?"

"I just walked in Walter. How's he doing?"

"I thought he might wake up but he just rolled over."

Astrid was looking at the monitors to check Peter's status herself. Everything looked good so why wasn't he waking up? He had been through a lot but surly he would come back to them. To those that cared for him, that loved him, that depended on him. She missed her lab buddy! Sharing food, watching him interact with Walter, his attempts to flirt with Olivia, listening to music together. She missed his genius, how good he was to his father, watching him progress from a loner to a family man, but more than anything she missed his smile, his looks of bewilderment at his father's rants, his very presence. No one knew how this would end when he did rejoin them in the "freak show" as he referred to the Fringe Division. What if he didn't join them? What could she do to help make things better? Gene mooing brought her out of her thoughts.

Walter was on the move and was about to inject Peter with something! "Walter," she shouted! "PUT IT DOWN!" Astrid could be authoritive when needed and now was the time! She stopped him from pushing the needle into Peter's arm.

Oh hell he thought as the alarm in Astrid's voice as she yelled Walter's name woke him up. His fight or flight response kicked in especially when he heard her tell him to put it down. He rolled onto his back and opened his eyes ready to spring into action if his body would allow. Peter saw Walter and Astrid over him looking down. Walter looked relieved, though holding a very large syringe filled with a blue liquid in it dangerously near his vein. Astrid looked confused for a minute then smiled. He liked her smile, it was reassuring. Well he was awake now and might as well begin the unpleasantness of living in a world he did not belong with people who had no connection to him at all. Life was a bitch.

Olivia wasn't doing well resting, she was too nervous and worried about Peter. Astrid's call saying he had woken up was good news and she was on her way to see them. She couldn't shake the apprehension of what Peter would be like now that he and everyone knew the truth. They would work through it. Together all of them would work through this. The world needed them. The Pattern would not go away without them. She hoped Peter would still be willing to work with her, with his father to save the world. More than anything she hoped that when she looked at him he was still the Peter she had grown close to. She had begun to heal from John Scott, from Charlie, if Peter was taken away from her she would have to begin over again. Olivia did not like that thought…she could do it if necessary but it would rip a part of her out.

Everyone put on their best smiles as Peter walked into the lab. Peter didn't smile at them and the tension grew thick. He didn't react to Walter's hugs, he just stood motionless eventually shoving the man away saying, "Walter! Enough!"

Astrid's hope that he would rejoin them faded. Walter looked dejected and she did feel sorry for him.

"Peter," Walter questioned his son?

Olivia was trying to read Peter's reactions to things but could not read him, this unnerved her and she began to expect the worse. She forced a smile at him, he had a lot to work through she reminded herself. Again he did not smile. This time she noticed the amusement in his eyes were gone, they were empty. She felt her heart break. It would take time for him to heal, she hoped to god he would heal. Olivia knew it was selfish but she could not do this without him.

Astrid's hope for reconciliation faded, Peter would not smile. She put her arms around Walter who was very upset at Peter's behavior. Peter would not smile, only scowl and not his usual scowl. Things were not going to go well for them now she feared.

He had no idea what the hell he was doing. He really never had a long term plan until he got involved with Fringe Division and look where that got him. He should have trusted his gut and ran when he had the chance. Like it or not he had become part of something larger than himself. Not only that but his gut was now telling him that he needed to protect Olivia but he didn't know from who or what. He didn't listen the first time to his instincts so why do it now? Peter had planned on leaving but didn't know where he would go. His old lifestyle was obsolete when his father and Agent Dunham came into his life, he couldn't go back and he was fearful to go forward but forward was where he had to go.

Peter finally smiled at those he had grown close to…he would work it out but it would not be easy for him or anyone involved with him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Somewhere in Boston**

There was an old saying that blood is thicker than water. Scientifically speaking it was correct, but the real meaning was not lost on her. Her brother had come into this universe a few days ago and had promptly gone missing. He always had a knack for getting himself in trouble. She always blamed it on his 190 IQ. Allan had book sense but often common sense eluded him. So now she was sent, as usual, to clean up his messes and this one was a real mess. Once he had come through the portal he had managed to get himself hit by a car, wind up in Boston General, lost the Palladin, and probably created a rift so severe that it would take more skill than she possessed to close. Nessa liked challenges though, she also enjoyed calculating, planning, and recon related stuff. Her ability was to close what should have never been opened, and that little thing where she could heal people of a certain blood type. And her brother could heal as well, and apparently was creating a sensation at Boston General. It was time to clean up his missteps.

**Boston General Hospital**

The young ER doctor had just started her shift when they brought in the man that had caused the sensation. She remembered looking at him and thinking there was no way he would survive. He had massive head injuries, internal bleeding, compound fractures.

"What happened?"

"He was found about 12 miles south of Boston in the road. Hit by a vehicle."

"We're losing him," a trauma nurse shouted!

He knew his vitals were going to crash, that was how it always worked. His system would completely die for a span of one minute, then reset itself. So for one minute he would be legally dead, and a lot could happen in one minute. Allan hoped Nessa was close because once he came back things were going to get messy, and she always cleaned up his messes. That was the one thing he could always count on in his life, his sister's devotion to his un-deserving ass. Though he had recently begun to believe it wasn't so much sisterly devotion as it was that she enjoyed her life now and would do anything to keep it. Nessa was and had ever been pragmatic – it was her one fatal flaw. He felt his life leave him and only for a moment heard the cute ER doctor yelling orders at the others.

To her astonishment and of all the nurses present at his bedside they didn't lose him. He began to heal right before their eyes after a minute of nothing! What was even stranger was that people all over the hospital began to heal from their illnesses as well. It was the first miracle Jyoti had encountered in her short time as an ER doctor and though the circumstances surrounding it were baffling she took the miracle as a reason to find her lost faith.

Things had gone from baffling to riotous in just a few hours. As word began to spread of the miracles occurring at Boston General crowds began to gather outside. Things were getting out of hand quickly both inside the hospital and outside and to complicate matters more the FBI was now involved in her patient's miraculous healing and was preventing her from seeing her own patient!

**Walter's Lab of Horrors**

"This is fascinating," Walter said as he analyzed the blood from the man causing the sensation at Boston General!

Peter didn't answer, just quietly assisted Walter with the case at hand. He was biding his time before he would leave permanently. But before he left there were questions to be answered and he had to set up a new persona, a new life somewhere else – which was proving to be a difficult task. So he needed to be here, for now, helping Walter and Olivia. Once everything was in place he would leave and never look back. This chapter of his life was over.

It had only been a few days since his world was turned upside down. A few days and he was still working on what he needed to do. He wanted to know who he really was, what he had been like in his universe. He could no longer pretend to be something that he wasn't. He had always known there was something unique, different about himself, and now that the truth was revealed it was time to explore who he truly was. Then other emotions would cloud his mind, causing no cessation of annoyance. The fact he didn't belong there made him angry and depressed at the same time. He knew he was projecting ill feelings, and everyone was walking on eggshells and he didn't care! A nice big F-you was what he wanted to shout to those in the room! He would still be a better man than his father however and he kept his anger to himself, mostly.

"His blood is type O."

Walter's voice and actions since the big upheaval just annoyed Peter now and he really wanted to break something to release some of his anger!

"Lots of people have type O blood Walter." He was good at appearing calm on the surface, it had helped him survive more than once.

"Yes, yes they do but this blood has something else," he motioned Peter over to him.

Peter stayed where he was for a moment, suppressing anger. Then he walked over to the mad scientist.

Undeterred Walter continued on. "Nanotechnology! It's amazing but this blood sample contains nanotechnology! I haven't seen anything like it."

"So that's why he healed so fast. But how does it explain the fact that others healed as well?" There was no warmth, no emotion in his voice, only a coldness that made Walter shiver.

"Type O Peter, type O. Everyone that was cured of illness had type O blood, like our friend's here. I hypothesize that this nanotechnology is linked not by DNA but by blood. Meaning that when he was brought in the nanos escaped into the hospital healing everyone with type O blood."

Walter was upset that Peter didn't seem to find what he said interesting. This setback in his relationship with his son; and the Peter before him was his son, caused him to shut down once again. Walter had tried so hard to keep his son, now he had completely lost him even though he was right before his eyes. The case be damned! He was not going to lose Peter, he wouldn't let Peter go but he could not fathom how to keep his son close to him. Walter stopped working on the blood and walked over and began brushing Gene.

Peter realized that the case would not be solved if Walter stopped working on it so he tried to connect with Walter again. Tried to bring him back to the case at hand.

"We have type A blood," he said without a trace of emotion in his voice.

So he knew his blood type but did he really know anything else about his body? He was from another universe how different was his body from those around him? Besides being male how different was his body from Olivia's, whom his father had experimented on as a young child? He had never really been sick, seemed to heal rather quickly, and could calm others down with is voice and touch. He knew there was no nanotechnology in his blood but still the possibility that he was more human than human intrigued him.

While he was pondering that last thought he heard Olivia come in. Olivia was the one thing that could make him stay. He hated the power she held over him but somehow they were connected and if she asked him to stay he would stay. Peter felt like he needed to protect her, had felt that first tinge of big brother protectiveness at their first meeting. It had continued through all their cases, and was really the only thing that didn't seemed affected by this new revelation of his true origin. He turned to see that Olivia wasn't alone. With her was a short lady who had a faint blue glow surrounding her.

"Walter, Peter, Astrid, this is Nessa. She's the sister of the man involved in our case." Olivia paused for only a moment before she continued. "They are from the other universe and she is here to help."

Peter was dumbfounded to meet someone from his universe. Walter and Astrid had looks of shock on their faces!

"I am no threat," Nessa said softly. "I'm here to clean up the mess my brother made and then I'll be gone."

Everyone in the lab realized what Nessa could provide. Nessa however began to have doubts about the course of action she had taken in seeking out Agent Dunham. This Olivia was slightly different from her universe Olivia and she hoped that she could trust her as much as she trusted "her" Olivia. Things were going to get interesting in the Fringe Division.


	6. Chapter 6

It was caffeine time, her body was letting her know it was missing a vital component to keep going.

"Can I have some coffee please," she asked? She had been in the lab for a few hours while awaiting her brother's arrival.

Ever since Olivia had brought her to the lab there had been an uncomfortable silence. No one knew how to start a conversation even though everyone wanted answers.

Peter got up from the bench. "How do you want it?" It was the first words he had spoken to anyone all day.

"Black and strong please. No decaf."

"Decaf is an abomination to the coffee world," he said breezily with a smile on his face. "One black coffee coming right up."

He walked into the office he shared with Olivia. The agent had returned to headquarters after dropping Nessa off. The emptiness would have bothered him, but since he had found out about his past he could care less where she was. She wasn't part of his family, he didn't belong here or with her.

"Have you ever wondered why you need so much coffee," Nessa asked from the doorway?

"Because I don't sleep more than two hours a night. Because I'm constantly facing weird and amazing things from the other universe."

"Because our bodies need the caffeine. Over here it is water that keeps the body going. We need caffeine."

He could use this time to get answers. That was the only thing keeping him here, the quest for answers. Once he got them he could leave. Nessa would provide them. He formulated a plan.

"We are all out of coffee. I know a place off-campus that has amazing coffee. Want to go?"

"I would love to get out of here. I'm sure you have many questions. I can help you with some of them."

She offered! How wonderful this was turning out. "I'll get my wallet and then we'll go."

At the coffee shop Nessa was no cheap date. She ordered large coffees much to his amusement.

"How do you travel between the worlds?" He could do interrogations, keep it about her for a while before asking the questions he wanted answers to.

"You could say it is literally in my blood," she kept it cryptic because she still wasn't sure she could trust him. "I was born with the ability to travel between worlds, it happens naturally."

"And your brother?"

"He uses a device that was based on Bishop and Bell's first design. He wears a wrist cuff that lets him travel."

"Fascinating," he said absently.

The conversation went on for over an hour, only ending by his phone vibrating. It was Olivia.

"Yeah, well be right there."

"The car with your brother was in an accident. Your brother is not among the injured. They can't find him. Can you call him?"

"Sure," she said as she speed dialed her brother.

"No answer," she said with concern showing on her face.

"Well maybe we'll have better luck at the accident site."

He laid down a tip. Nessa had told him everything he could have possibly wanted to know about how his body worked, what his home universe was like, what it had become, even about his real parents. He wasn't surprised to find out that his real father was a huge asshole…seemed par for the course with Walter Bishops.

As they were walking back Nessa stopped him. "Don't take this the wrong way." She kissed him deeply.

"OK," he said confused.

"We have the same blood type. If you test your blood you should find some nanos inside. As disgusting as it is they travel through body fluid, blood or saliva the best. They can be airborne too but that method isn't as certain. A kiss is the most sanitary. They will multiply in time but be careful. Don't go getting yourself hurt too soon. About seven days you should achieve saturation."

"And then what?"

"Then you heal from injury like Allan and myself."

Things were working out much better than he planned!

The accident site was the opportunity Peter had looked for. He had prepared for it ever since he had reluctantly decided to come back to Fringe. All the fake identification he needed, along with enough funds to get him somewhere and into his old line of employment was tucked securely inside his jacket. Now with the knowledge Nessa had given him, and the ability she had freely given everything was set. He only needed a distraction. The accident site was that distraction.

Leaving should have been easier then this he thought as Olivia's face appeared before his eyes. How could he walk out on her? She was finally showing her vulnerability and allowing him to care for her and now he was going to rip everything out from under her. He remembered her telling him she would need him by her side during the war. Well that deal was off. Had been ever since he found out what Walter had done years ago. His leaving wouldn't destroy her; Olivia Dunham was too strong for that. It would only hurt him for a little while, then his memories of her would grow cold and she would be too caught up in the war to think of him. He was sorry he couldn't be a better man than his father, but he wasn't from this universe so that didn't count either.

At the site of the accident Peter made his escape by simply disappearing into the crowd of onlookers who had assembled at the crash site. There was too much confusion at first for anyone to notice he was missing.

"Can you cross over," Olivia asked Nessa? Without Allan there was no reason she should still be here.

"Not now. My brother was assigned to find and protect Peter. I believe that he had to crossover. He must have been in trouble." She was concerned because of the messiness of the accident scene. "Since he has crossed over I have to take up his mission."

The agents who had been bringing Allan to them had described a classic doorway opening. Though her brother often cocked things up he would not leave her; or his mission early unless their lives were in danger.

"Why does Peter need protection?" Olivia was concerned. The accident scene was processed now and the lack of Peter's presence disturbed her.

"Destroy the Paladin, the Gatekeeper falls and all hell breaks loose."

"What's a Paladin," she asked?

"A defender of the faith. Your protector, that's how it was set up. You'll need him when the war starts."

Those were similar words that William Bell had spoken to her when she was on the other side.

"Where's Peter," she asked frantically?

A search was issued but Peter did not turn up at the accident site. All attempts to call him failed, he didn't answer. Astrid tracked his phone to a dumpster near the accident site but Peter was long gone. Olivia's world shattered once again – he had abandoned her.

" I am so sorry Olivia," Nessa tried to calm the agent. "I will do whatever is in my power to find him."

"He doesn't want found. He knows how to elude the FBI, Massive Dynamic, everyone. HE PLANNED THIS!"

Olivia hadn't lost her temper in a long time! If she wasn't calmed down soon the war was going to start. Olivia was already pulling enough energy toward her to open a massive doorway…it would be seen as a declaration of war! Nessa had to calm her down, but was clueless on how, she was not a Paladin. She was simply someone from the other universe who had tried to stop the others from starting a war – and she had failed.

Peter was on the first train from Boston to New York City. He would hide out in the city, getting lost among the masses for a while before planning his next move. He was too preoccupied with planning to notice he was being stalked. Normally he would have been three steps ahead of his stalker but the unexpected pain of walking out on Olivia, leaving Astrid, and even missing Walter was weighing to heavily on him. It should have been easier. In time his memories would fade he kept telling himself. He tried to make them the villains but couldn't do that in good faith. The trip to NYC was horrible for him, nothing could ease his emotions. He decided to get a drink or two at the bar. When the train pulled into Penn Station Peter Bishop was not on board. He had simply vanished into thin air - so had half the train.


End file.
